The Isle of Wight Council leader is ‘pushing back’ over Government plans to transfer powers and funding to a joint pan-Hampshire authority.
A devolution deal, supposedly worth £1.14billion of investment over the next 30 years, would combine 4 currently separate authorities including the Island, Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire.
Previous plans to create a combined authority across the Solent collapsed in 2018 due to differing views.
It is now back on the table with a deal drawn up by the Conservative-led Hampshire County Council (HCC) and government, with HCC leader Councillor Rob Humby pushing it forward.
Last month, he said the ambitious deal is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and urged his fellow council leaders to work with him and the government.
While devolution could see decisions made closer to home, Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, Isle of Wight Council leader, has shared her doubts after a meeting she had with Dehenna Davison MP, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for the Department of Levelling Up.
Speaking at cabinet last week, Cllr Peacey-Wilcox said Ms Davison wants the Island to amalgamate with Hampshire due to the ‘massive push for devolution by the Conservative government’. However, Cllr Peacey-Wilcox said she told Ms Davison again her priority is the Island Deal.
She said she had also met with the leaders of Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils and written a letter asking for more clarification before they all meet to discuss a way forward.
Cllr Peacey-Wilcox said:
“We have been very succinct in saying it is not a good deal for us as the Island and we keep pushing back.
“It is not a wish of Portsmouth or Southampton to move in with Hampshire, and it certainly isn’t ours, or mine, at all.”
After the meeting, Cllr Peacey-Wilcox said she doubted devolution would help the Island ‘one iota’ whereas the Island Deal would sustain us in perpetuity.
The Island Deal is a long sought-after pot of cash, and was promised to the Island by Boris Johnson to Bob Seely in 2019, to help offset the costs of providing services on an Island. It is said to be worth millions of pounds and has been something multiple Isle of Wight Council administrations have chased over the years.
So it’s worth a big pot of money, but what’s it worth for islanders?
The Tories will give us an Island deal. They keep there promises. Any day now.
The Tories keep their promises?? What planet are you living on? Maybe a Daily Mail reader is som lacking in brain cells they’ll believe this garbage
Chasing a pipe dream that Bob made up so he could keep his job. As for LPW, keep barking up the same tree as everyone else, one day the tree might bark back.
Only reason she is moaning is because the other councils might spot how damn dodgy and corrupt this lot are, not saying portsmouth or southampton are any better, but the island council are the most stupid, dodgy, money grabbing, pocket lining lot in the country by far. Oh and did I mention corrupt too. Oh yes I did in the first line.
You really need to get out a little, Digby. If you think IW Council is the most corrupt etc you simply aren’t in the real world.
Heard of Teesside, for example?
Bye bye special Island Deal .. fools if you believed the Tory lies ..